We once again find ourselves, think agility, at a new threshold as our state and country reemerge from quarantine and businesses are making decisions on their next step. The initial rush of the digital pivot is fading … the next opportunity is stamina and easing back into the new normal, whatever that may be.
However, before we start running that ball, let’s just pause and celebrate the WINS over the past five weeks.
With collaboration of the students, parents, administration and teachers, Faith Family Academy was able to continue to serve their student body food, technology and knowledge. They did not miss a beat. Faith Family Academy, you rock!
To Mister Sweeper, who
continues to hire when so many are looking for employment AND keeping streets,
parking lots and garages clean, an especially important job right now! Mister Sweeper, you rock!
Agility Rules!
To Corps Team Dallas, who
continue to support clients in their hiring, pipeline and talent continuity plans,
plus the virtual edition of “What We Love about Dallas,” was a go-to guide for entertainment
this month! Corp
Team Dallas, you rock!
Despite Big Al’s business being significantly hindered during shelter in place every week they have continue to give big with 100+ meal donations to first responders and the underserved community partners, like Family Gateway, Ronald McDonald House, Genesis Women’s Shelter and UTSW first responders. Big Al’s, you rock!
Essential workers that found a new way to safely do business, you rock!
Entrepreneurs who continue to forge ahead despite many unknowns with business and marketing plans, you rock!
Non-profits that are using creative means to serve their clients, you rock!
Therefore, Stay-at-home parents that are navigating new schedules and systems, you rock!
To the kids (especially
seniors) that are mourning traditions missed, but are finding creative
alternatives, you rock!
Above all, all accomplishments, are worth cheering. Find reasons to celebrate and promote good news and good deeds. Recognize all the daily, tiny actions and choices that are keeping our community moving. If we did not catch you in this wrap up, know that we think you rock!
Sometimes a big idea can be daunting, especially since it is often much easier to think of brilliant ideas than act on those ideas. In fact, Forbes says “giving ideas life is much like giving birth to a child.” All jokes aside, there is validity here! Since most folks are working from home now, we thought it would be an excellent time to give you some tips on how to turn your ideas into action!
Goal Setting:
Fast Company highlights the importance of first setting a goal. Defining your end result is critical, no matter how abstract. Physically writing down goals rather than keeping them in your head is a great start. Following this step, visualize!
Visualization is an incredibly powerful tool and one that should never be overlooked. That same article explains how “Coming to understand and appreciate exactly what you’re trying to reach is the first step toward actually reaching it.” It is okay to daydream, as long as it is productive! Imagining the feelings and emotions that come with achieving your goal puts you one step closer!
Be Confident:
Another component to bringing ideas to fruition is believing in yourself. Most people quit working towards a goal because the consequences are too difficult. Accountability plays a key role here, and Forbes says this “requires believing in yourself enough to be 100% dedicated to getting the work done.” To build on this confidence, have your own circle of advisers you trust and can learn from. Always be open to suggestions from anyone because you never know when you will hear a good idea.
Have a Road Map:
Roughly jot down how you will get from point A to point B. If you get stuck, take a break. Figure out who from your circle of advisers could help you, or any resources you already have that could be of aid. Once you are done planning it is time to turn those ideas into action. It can be sloppy but needs to be good enough to share with those you trust. Then revisit your rough draft and focus on the details. Once you are ready, plan what channels and tools you will use to share it with others.
Patience is a Virtue:
This is where true grit and determination come into play. As stated earlier, it takes relentless pursuit to make ideas a reality. As the saying goes, “If it were easy, everyone would do it.” Patience is what separates great entrepreneurs from mediocre dreamers. Adjusting your mindset to welcome risk is a key part of this step. With every new idea comes risk, so learn to expect unexpected outcomes.
Have Passion and a Purpose:
If your passion for your work shines through, you will be an inspiration to others. This will open countless doors for you. Purpose is the fuel behind why you do what you do- without this, you are more likely to quit along the way. The Porch is committed to turning ideas into action; make the commitment to yourself today!
If you are reading this, you are probably curious to learn more about branding! Before we dive deeper into branding, it is critical to understand how your brand represents your purpose. Brian Whipple, CEO of Accenture Interactive, says “Brands must genuinely commit to aligning their businesses with purpose to differentiate themselves.” Innovative companies such as Apple have done this, starting with the “Why?” mentality instead of “Who?” or “What?”
When businesses focus on why they are doing things, they establish purpose and garner respect. It is important to actively take steps to support your cause, because it is the action instead of words that makes a difference, and people can see this. Customers want to see companies supporting the things they support, and when this happens, they are 63% more likely to purchase.
Why it’s important
To build equity in a customer’s mind, a brand must be: memorable, meaningful, aesthetically appealing, transferable, adaptable over time, and protected legally. It means differentiating yourself and finding ways to stand out among competitors. It matters because brands stick with people!
How many times do you think you have asked for a Kleenex when in reality you meant a tissue? James R. Hupp states that people refer to tissues as Kleenex because of their well-known reputation and product quality. People become emotionally invested, and while some people will hunt around for the best deals others will stay loyal to the companies they trust.
Why you should start with branding
Brands define you from the very beginning and act as a launching pad for your business. They are a “lens through which the words and actions of a company, its competitors, and the environment in general are converted to thoughts, feelings, images, beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes, etc., about a product (or family of products).” At Front Porch we place serious emphasis on branding because if you don’t define who you are/your purpose, how will you be credible?
Is it okay to forget branding just to have something out there?
In certain rare instances, it is okay to create something just to get it out there. This would be most acceptable for smaller projects or a company who has difficulty defining its brand. If a company is truly struggling , it may suffice to take a step back and begin generating content. Hopefully somewhere in the midst of creating content that company realizes its purpose and is able to establish its brand successfully.
Key Takeaway:
Much of the value perceived by consumers is completely subjective. If you begin with branding, you will have a solid foundation that the rest of the company’s actions should follow, and you will always have something to circle back to should you stray from your brand image. We believe branding should be first always, and we would be delighted to show you how it’s done!
We can be creative because we can’t all have Burger King’s Valentine’s Day marketing budget. Creativity and resourcefulness and love abound. Use your existing marketing channels and / or tools to show your smitten.
Each year, Valentine’s Day is celebrated with love ones sharing cards, flowers, candy or gifts. Some mark the day with a Galentine’s Day celebrating, toasting the joys of female friendship. Others toast to being single.
The Chief Rocker’s family is particularly fond of this holiday. For instance, think rose pedals in the hallway, balloons in the kitchen, special breakfast and candy and little gifts for the kiddos. In other words, face throwing a kiss emoji.
Valentine’s Day is a few short days away.
We welcome our clients and advocates sharing their Valentine’s Day traditions with us by commenting on this post, emailing us or leaving comments on our social media posts. Hey, tweet them to us! Heart emoji.
Creative Marketing Love
Utilize email marketing. Begin with a charming subject line. Include emojis. Make sure your message is delightful and apropos.
Endear your social media followers with creative content. Branded tiles with a lovely message. Run a contest for best love story, love-themed poem, etc. Create a video. Use relevant hashtags where appropriate. Check out this Twitter hashtag tool.
Add some tenderness to your website. Blog about Valentine’s Day with relatable to your clients, industry or overall business. Add a popup with a charming message. Change your header to be Valentine-themed.
Here’s another creative idea.
Next year, consider sending an inventive Valentine card to your team, client and advocates. We know people that can help you with this from concept to production.
“It’s easier to love a brand when the brand loves you back.” – Seth Godin
Are you meeting customer expectations? We all know the importance of customer service when it comes to running a successful business. In this social media obsessed world we live in today and the age of instant feedback, excellent customer service can go a long way, but an excellent customer experience can go even further!
Until recently, the quality of product and service provided were the keys to winning customers and earning their business. But today, a new factor has come into play and that is providing the best customer experience.
A recent Walker study found that by the end of 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator. Customers will stay loyal based upon the experience and if you can’t keep up, they will move on (bye, bye).
Happy customers remain loyal customers.
Consider these statistics:
1 in 3 customers will leave a brand they love after just one bad experience.
Research by American Express found that 86% of customers are willing to pay more for a better experience.
49% of buyers have made impulse purchases after receiving a more personalized customer experience.
Customers that rate companies with a high customer experience score spend 140% more and remain loyal for up to 6 years.
Customer experience (aka CX) is the biggest opportunity businesses have to reduce customer churn and increase revenues. The problem is, most businesses think of customer experience and customer service as one in the same when in reality, customer service is only part of the many pieces of customer experience.
Simply put, customer service is a single touch point with a brand, while customer experience includes every touchpoint a customer has with a brand from the first time they hear about you until after completing a purchase – basically the perception the customer has of a brand. While you may think your customer experience is one thing, the customer may see it as something completely different and that is what the actual customer experience is.
Managing customer perception should be the top priority for every business and having a strategy for customer experience is the best way to make that happen.
Customer expectations are rising.
The expectation is that every single interaction with a brand be the best that it can be.
Below are several strategies for creating a great customer experience:
Create a clear customer experience vision that is customer focused and can be communicated within your organization. This statement will act as the guiding principles and drives the behavior of your organization.
Collect customer feedback. It’s the only way to know if you are delivering on your promise. Try using live chat tools, conduct a focus group or send an email with a follow-up survey. Hey, even pick up the phone, for instance. In other words, get feedback, share it with the team and fix what is broken.
Develop your team to the standards of your vision. Using the feedback collected from customers, identify the training needs for each member of your support team.
Use employee feedback to improve the customer experience. Because, it’s your team who are interacting the most with your customers so give them an opportunity to share their ideas.
Measure the results of your customer experience investment. There are several metrics available for tracking customer experience over time which include Customer Effort Score, Net Promoter Score, Customer Satisfaction Score and Time to Resolution. These tools allow you to track the success or failure of changes you implement that might affect your customers.
Customer expectations are at an all-time high and word spreads fast! The importance of the customer experience increases because the customer becomes even more empowered. Customer experience is an area that needs constant attention.
Because, a greater focus on customer experience strategy, businesses will see a reduction in customer churn and an increase in revenue growth.
Need help developing your customer experience
strategy?
As a marketer AND a business owner, I want to start the year off right and lay a strong marketing foundation for the year.
For example, we completed our 2020 business plan. We crafted our marketing plan, budget, blog schedule and content calendar.
What other components should we deploy for our 2020 marketing foundation?
For some reason, I guide marketing strategy for our clients even in my sleep. Chief Rocker, therefore, should walk her talk when marketing her own business. I am determined to do just this consistently, authentically and with purpose in 2020. Cheers to the New Year!
Four Marketing Foundation Fundamentals
Define and know your brand. A prospective client asked us recently if they needed new photography. As a result, our answer was we didn’t know. We didn’t know their brand. Communication coming from its content and leadership lacked clarity. Consequently, no connections were being made. The brand wasn’t defined. Define your brand and rock it.
Team conviction.“Be the brand, Danny.” Can’t help but quote Caddyshack here. For instance, everyone within your team believes your brand’s importance. Your company stands for a specific and important promise. Therefore, the brand and your marketing must be championed internally.
Consistency. Thirdly, deliver on your brand promise at every touch point. Inconsistency dilutes customer/client faith in the competency of the organization.
Discipline. Fourthly, stick to the plan. Meet your marketing calendar deadlines. Likewise, follow your content and blog calendars to a tee.
In conclusion, may these marketing foundation fundamentals rock your brand and top line. Use them for the New Year. Make your brand come alive for everyone it touches.
And now for the second installment of our two-part series on The Great 8 of Marketing Success. Numbers 5-7 are distinctly digital in nature and deal with how you can communicate and meet your customers where they are. Our last recommendation caps off our series with a decidedly human touch.
Number 5: Website
Prospects – both clients and candidates – are going to your website to validate your company and expertise. Make sure you are communicating your point of differentiation and your brand personality.
Most service sites look the same, sound the same and make
the same mistakes. Take a look at your website and see if you can take it to
the next level:
Eliminate the word “we.” Replace it with “you”, “your”, “our clients”, or “our candidates.” It seems like a small distinction, but you might be surprised by how much more customer-centric your copy will sound once you replace one word.
Include links to your social networks. And if you already have links to your social networks – great! Are they up-to-date? Or do you still have a link to your Google+ account? ( Hint: you might want to delete that one.)
Sell results and testimonials. Third party endorsements go a long way and potential customers want to see the value you can bring to their company.
Use minimal stock photos. We get it – when you were getting your website off the ground, you used whatever you had on hand to get it done. But stock photos can reduce the credibility of your company and take from the authenticity of your brand. Make the investment and book a professional photographer.
Optimize the site for mobile. No one likes to pinch and zoom on their phone when they are trying to view a website. And increasingly, Americans of all ages are likely to say that they mostly access the internet on their smartphone.
Make it easy for people to contact you with a form and make sure your phone number and email address are front and center.
Number 6: Social Media
Consumers are increasingly using social media to not only connect with friends and family, but also with brands. Social media is increasingly influencing consumers’ buying behavior:
When consumers follow a brand on social media, 67% of consumers are more likely to spend more with that brand.
Social media can drive retail foot traffic: 78% say they will visit that brand’s physical retail store.
These results become even more pronounced when you narrow in on millennials: 84% said they were more likely to buy from a brand they follow on social media.
But, don’t count out older folks – young people may have been early adopters of social media, but older adults using social media has increased as well.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by social media. That’s why we
recommend narrowing your focus and pick two social networks to be active on
daily. Most social networks are monetizing their platforms so organic social
media, i.e. free, is becoming less effective, which is why you must be active consistently.
But which platforms should you choose? It depends. We recommend meeting your customers where they are. With almost a third of the world’s population using Facebook, the 500-lb. gorilla in the room might be a given. If you have an aspirational brand whose customers skew female and under the age of 49, Pinterest or Instagram may be a good fit. If you are more of a B2B company, look at joining YouTube, LinkedIn or Twitter.
Also, make sure you are connecting with the people you meet,
whether you are introduced virtually or in person. Utilize both your personal
timeline and create a company account if you don’t already have one.
Number 6.5: Social Media Content
As for content, have you ever been to a party and you were cornered by that one guy who talks about himself all night? Don’t be that guy.
Instead follow the rule of thirds: 1/3 of your content should be devoted to sharing content, 1/3 to engaging with others and 1/3 promoting yourself. Share open positions at your company, business successes and company news, just don’t let all your content be about you.
Number 7: Email Marketing
Email marketing doesn’t have to be crazy complicated or
expensive. Email marketing is inexpensive and effective. If done correctly, you
will be surprised at the results you see after every send.
Use a simple automated platform like MailChimp and send an
email to your audiences once a month, or if you are just starting out, once
every other month. Make sure you are updating your databases and are not
sending the same content to both your clients and candidates.
Target your content to the reader and use your email
marketing to establish yourself as a thought leader. Share information and
expertise. This is especially true for B2B businesses; email marketing is most
effective if you are sharing news people can use. At Front Porch, this is the
direction we choose to take with our email newsletter. We offer marketing advice
and highlight our clients.
Similarly to social media, do not use email marketing to talk 100% about your company or you. It will not work.
Number 8: Networking
We are very fortunate to have several places to network in
North Texas – industry associations, chambers of commerce, community
organizations and the list goes on.
In deciding which group is right for you, consider these things:
Can I learn and grow?
Are this group’s values aligned with mine?
Can I contribute my knowledge and skills?
Do we have common interests?
When you are at these meetings or events, remember:
Give to get. Focus on what you can do for others, not what they can do for you.
Make sure you have business cards. (I know that sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised.)
Ask questions and listen.
Follow up. Sometimes this is the hardest thing to do because we are all wearing so many hats, but it is important to connect on LinkedIn with people you met, send them an email and if the situation calls for it, send a handwritten thank you note.
As business owners, we need to network. We need to work “on”
our business as much as possible, not in our business.
Networking is a process. Remember that most business owners are looking for connections. Make time to network intentionally. Be bold and step forward into their world.
I urge you to not “go big or go home,” but as we tell our
small to mid-sized clients, “Fewer. Deeper.” Do a couple of things well and
knock it out of the park.
If you do your marketing well, then your target audience will come to trust your brand. Trusted relationships develop into emotional bonds that are hard to break. Consequently, loyalty to your brand means greater business success and reduced competitive threat.
Remember The Great
8. Engage your clients and candidates and turn them into customers and brand
ambassadors.
A two-part series where we will explore 8 great ways you can market your company.
Marketing in many people’s minds conjures up glamorous images of flashy and expensive campaigns. The reality of effective marketing couldn’t be further from the truth.
Welcome to The Great 8 of Marketing Success! This is a two-part series where we will explore 8 great ways you can market your company.
And the best part? They are all extremely effective and low-cost.
Great marketing doesn’t have to be expensive.
Number One: Differentiation
What differentiates your offering from that of your competitors? If you don’t have a strong point of differentiation, the only option is to compete on price. That isn’t where you want to be.
Your point of differentiation is not customer service. We are all in the service business. It is a given.
Define what sets your company apart from the competition. Ask yourself:
What is a superior performing aspect or expertise of your brand that has multiple customer benefits?
What do your clients really appreciate about your service?
Why are long term clients still with you?
What was one of the nicest things a client ever said about how you conduct business?
Number 2: Brand Personality
Your brand must be both differentiating and emotionally relevant. Human beings buy based on their emotions and justify their decisions with logic later. How do you connect with your customers on a more human level? By infusing your brand with its own personality.
The purpose of brand personality is to capture the human characteristics that build and enhance a relationship between brands and consumers.
These characteristics, when executed consistently, make a brand likeable. This is particularly valuable for marketing because it determines whether the look and feel of the execution is right. If a communication does not pass our “personality test,” then the consumer should never see it.
Companies who invest in their brand enjoy the following benefits, to name a few:
Higher price points and less pricing pressure
Greater market value
Reduced competition
Increased business opportunities (partnerships, licensing deals, acquisitions)
Define your brand personality. What four to five adjectives define your brand?
Number 3: Marketing Plan
Marketing plans serve as a roadmap, with measurable goals and defined tactics outlining how you will reach those goals. A marketing plan also:
Determines your marketing budget for the year
Ensures that your company will be proactive and not reactive
Keeps you focused on your target clients and customers. You can’t be relevant to everyone.
Organizes your time and priorities
Components of a marketing plan include:
Market research
Target market
Positioning
Competitive analysis
Metrics / Goals
Strategies
Tactics
Budget
You need a roadmap, a marketing plan, to maximize your resources. Remember, hope is not a strategy. Having a sound marketing roadmap is.
Number 4: Business Card
Yes, even in today’s tech-savvy world, business cards are still relevant. We have all been in a place where the Wi-Fi connection was weak, or our cell service was spotty. It’s oftentimes easier and faster to hand someone your card.
Business cards create a quick first impression of your company. If they are different and/or cleverly designed, they can also set you apart from your competition.
Great marketing includes many things.
Stay tuned for the Great 8, Part II. We’ll explore four more effective, low-cost ways you can market your company.
It is every business owner and leader’s goal to build a company that is both valuable and loved. It’s an easy goal to state; but not necessarily easy to realize.
And now here are the 2019 top five most loved brands according to Morning Consult:
Amazon – 4th most valuable
Google – 2nd most valuable
Netflix – 38th most valuable
Facebook – 5th most valuable
The Home Depot – 32nd most valuable
Note the crossover with the most valuable brands and most loved? That is a result of branding. So how do you create a company that is both valuable and loved?
You create an authentic brand.
Branding can mean different things to different people, so let’s clarify this and the value it can bring to your brand. Simply put, your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from that of your competitors.
Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be. How clearly and consistently it’s delivered at every point of contact is vital to how strong the brand can become.A strong brand creates brand equity, which is one of the factors that can increase the financial value of a company.
If your company invests in its brand, you can achieve and enjoy the following benefits, to name a few:
Higher price points and less pricing pressure
Greater market value
Reduced competition
Increased business opportunities (partnerships, licensing deals, acquisitions)
So how do you get there?
We say it all the time, strong brands don’t happen by accident. Investing in your brand requires taking a close look at who you are and what you stand for, and then committing to delivering on that promise at every touch point.
Your brand must be both differentiating and emotionally relevant. Ask yourself, what do you do? How do you do it? What makes you different? These answers are the seed for your brand story, which becomes the litmus test for everything you say and do as an organization.
If an experience has your company associated with it, then it offers a specific and meaningful promise. It’s what your target audience (both customers and prospects) should expect, and it’s the culmination of feelings they have after an experience with you.
If your brand consistently delivers on its promise, then your target audience will come to trust it, and trusted relationships develop into emotional bonds that are hard to break. This loyalty to your brand means greater business success and reduced competitive threat.
The process we use to draw out and solidify your brand and its story is an extremely valuable effort for stakeholders and employees alike. If your brand needs some direction, we can help!
We preach the importance of being authentic – personally and in branding.
Part of being truly authentic means not pretending that life is sunshine and roses when it isn’t. Last week on the blog, Jacqui (aka The Back Porch Rocker) offered her thoughts on recovering from life’s unexpected storms.
One of her suggestions is another familiar refrain on the Porch – to have and give grace.
In the spirit of authenticity, her post hit me hard. We often encourage our followers to have grace, but I realized that in my forty-something years, I have never, not once, asked for grace – personally or professionally.
That doesn’t mean I haven’t experienced it. There have been times I received grace without having to ask for it. And there have been times I extended it to others. But I can see that there have been times I probably should have asked for grace. There are times I should have extended it to others without them having to ask.
Admittedly, I was born with the “suck it up, buttercup” mentality. I have always considered my ability to keep things together, for myself and for others, one of my great strengths.
That all changed for me a little more than four and a half weeks ago when a personal tragedy shook me to the core.
A “suck it up, buttercup” mentality would not have shown grace – which was desperately needed – to my family, my friends or myself.
Something had to give professionally. I had to take a step back. I had to ask for grace at work.
The entire Front Porch Marketing team responded without hesitation. Our clients and business partners who knew what had happened did the same.
I was extended grace in many, many ways. And I am thankful for it.
So the next time grace is called for, try doing these thing to show grace to a team member, client, partner, or even a boss:
Anticipate and delegate needs. If you are aware of a project or deadline, consider how you or others may be helpful to get it completed or postponed. Communicate and/or delegate those needs accordingly.
Forgive mistakes. Forgiveness is always important. Mistakes during this time are understandable.
Don’t take things personally. During a time of crises, jovial people may become short-tempered or normally talkative people may go radio silent. It is not about you or their feelings toward you. Don’t take it personally. See number two, above – it applies!
Provide a “free” zone. Offer a listening ear. Make it known you are a judgment-free. When a team member needs grace, give it freely without questions, expectations, or conditions.
Life has a way of rocking us unexpectedly.
Strive to build work environments that allow every member of your professional tribe to feel safe in asking for grace at work when they need it.
